Coffee in Bodhum Reboot
by Ceuriss
Summary: [reboot] Lightning's new co-worker at Cup 13 in Bodhum is quickly turning her life into a series of adventures in and out of the coffee shop. FLight, fluffy.
1. Chapter 1

**For an idea of the setting of this fic, check out the video at the bottom of my profile. It's from the place that this was inspired by.**

The pleasant aroma of coffee beans being ground wafted from the machines, music blaring from downstairs, as Lightning maneuvered a cup into place, pouring a shot of espresso into the white ceramic cup with an insignia of the coffee shop on it. After mixing together the other ingredients into the cup, she took a spoon, quickly carving a bolt of lightning imbedded in a rosebud into the foam on top of the drink. It was her signature on all the specialty drinks. Carefully, Lightning set the drink up on the counter for the customer who smiled at the quirky little design.

"Are you an artist?" The customer inquired, handing over his gil chips to pay for his drink.

Lightning smirked and shook her head, "It's just a thing I do. Trust me, I can barely draw a stick figure."

"Ah, well, you're still pretty good at it," The customer smiled, dropping a few gil into the tip jar that read '_If you fear change, leave it here.' _

"Thanks," Lightning said, slightly waving as the customer walked off to find a seat, "Have a nice day."

The afternoon was quiet, aside from a local band that was practicing below the shop. The shop actually doubled as the Bodhum Ballroom, a community location for small concerts and a market on certain days with a stage on the bottom level. The Bodhum Ballroom had actually been a large mill a hundred years ago, but it had been refurbished into a modern day, multi-purpose area for the town of Bodhum. During most days, the bottom level had ping-pong tables set up, but on the weekends, the place was packed for the live music events. A set of stairs led to a loft area that held the coffee shop with a few tables and couches here and there leading to an outdoor porch area with more seating. Above the first level, there was another set of stairs leading to a smaller loft area with chairs and tables in front of a huge wall to wall window that overlooked the ocean. It was a magnificent view. The three-tiered building was a hit for the area, drawing patrons in for the drinks, staying for the events, and enjoying the attractive atmosphere.

Lightning sighed quietly. The afternoon had been dull enough and her perfectionist mindset had left the work area organized to a tee. Her crystalline blue eyes flittered over to the '_Now Hiring' _sign that clung to the glass doors that led to the elevated patio. The only people that had inquired about the signs were young teenagers that wanted to be the cool kids working at the coffee shop. Most of them had been too young to even work. Although, one responsible young kid had been hired. Hope Estheim was a fifteen-year-old, almost sixteen, silver-haired boy that had impressed her boss, Amodar, so much so that he had hired him on the spot.

The May afternoon had warmed up quite a bit, prompting Lightning to open the glass doors to let the cool air mingle with the warm, creating a pleasant balance. The pink-haired girl stood out in the sun for a moment, letting her eyes close, soaking in the warmth of the day into her skin.

"Hey Sunshine, don't get too much sunshine!" A voice called out to Lightning. The voice was a warm voice with a Pulsian accent. The light-haired girl turned swiftly around to see a well-toned, tanned-skinned girl in a blue and black top with jean shorts standing by the counter, one arm leaning confidently against it, her black-and-burgundy-tipped hair tossed lightly over her shoulder.

Lightning's blue eyes were cool as she observed the girl standing before her, walking back inside to behind the counter. "What will it be?"

The woman cleared her throat before presenting a few sheets of paper. "I'm here for a job, actually."

Lightning took the sheets of paper, careful not to wrinkle them. "Alright, then. I'll give these to Amodar. You're the only that has seriously applied, so I wouldn't be surprised if you got it," Lightning stated, offering the friendly advice. She looked down at the piece of paper, catching the name Fang from amidst the references and such. "I hope you're a good worker, Fang."

Fang smiled a toothy grin, her emerald green eyes shining. "You bet, Sunshine."

"It's Lightning," Lightning answered, brushing her light-pink hair from her face that had fallen from the breeze blowing in from the open doors.

"Lightning? I guess you hit the ground running, then," Fang chuckled, making a move to leave, throwing her hand up as she walked out the main entrance of the coffee shop. Lightning waved politely as she watched the girl head down the corridor to the parking lot.

Lightning smiled faintly. Perhaps Fang would be much better than the last co-worker than she had had, that is, if she got the job. Her name was Lebreau and the two girls did not get along well at all. Their personalities and lifestyles conflicted at every pass and eventually Lebreau had decided to quit in favor of working at a friend's bar. Lightning did not miss her very much.

Walking down the set of worn stairs to the lower level, Lightning shuffled over to an office door, sliding a key into the lock. Lightning flipped the switch that brought the overheads to flickering life. She set the papers that Fang had given her on Amodar's desk carefully, grabbing a sticky note and quickly scribbling 'Seems like a good applicant. - L' before quickly exiting the office, locking the door back.

**Author's Note: I decided that I wanted to take a different approach to Coffee in Bodhum so this is my reboot. I actually wrote a spreadsheet for the plot line, so that everything does not get all jumbled up like last time. Organized writing isn't usually my thing, but I'm trying to get better. This is a short starter chapter, but the further they go, the longer they will get. The next chapter is written and I may or may not post it this weekend. Spacing them out seems like a good idea.**

**Let me know what you think, I really do appreciate feedback. I'm also writing another fic, about Lightning and Fang. Fang is the only l'Cie that was not captured and it is up to Lightning's squadron to catch her. It's a more dramatic fic than this fluffy one. **


	2. Chapter 2

Three weeks had gone by at a surprisingly quick pace for Lightning as she managed her night classes at the local university as well as with helping Amodar train Hope and Fang, but that actually turned out to be easier than she had expected. Hope was a natural and Fang was a quick learner. They made the job a good bit more entertaining, that was for sure.

"Hey, Lightning, heads up!" Fang shouted as Lightning quickly turned around and caught the rag that was flying at her with one hand, quickly wiping down the spilled coffee.

"Nice catch," Fang said quietly, before busying herself in another task.

Lightning just nodded, glancing over at Fang as she worked methodically through her cleaning. "Hey. Fang," Lightning said. Fang raised her head and looked over at Lightning, her green eyes smiling and confident.

"Yeah?"

"Do you like working here?"

Fang tilted her head a little, "Yeah. I guess so. It's really laid back here and the pay is good. You guys are pretty cool, too." The question was odd.

"Okay, good. Didn't want you to go quitting on me," Lightning stated, giving a little smirk.

"What, you didn't want me to go hitting on you? Huh?" Fang said with a confused tone, placing her hand up to her ear.

"Quitting," Lightning clarified, trying not laugh. The thought of Fang hitting on her was just laughable.

"Oh, yeah, that. Right." Fang chuckled awkwardly.

Just then, the bell that dinged every time the door opened sounded, alerting Fang and Lightning to the customer that had just entered the building.

"Hello, welcome to Cup 13!" The two girls said in unison, but Lightning faltered halfway through for more reasons than one. The customer was a blond-haired man that was the same age her with striking blue eyes that had only once been too familiar.

"Cloud," Lightning said softly, her calm blue eyes catching his.

"Hey, Cla-, er, Light. How have you been? I haven't seen you since graduation!" The guy said, a smile playing on his lips as he walked up the counter, resting his arms on the tall counter.

"I'm doing well. I've got Serah and the house now that I've turned 18."

"Oh… yeah. Well, I'm glad that you're doing well. I just got back from Eden U last week. It was a hell of a year with all of the prereqs."

Lightning simply nodded, "So, what can I get for you?"

Cloud's face contorted in one of confusion as he stared at the menu for a minute or two. "I suppose I will have a caramel double shot macchiato because I am a caffeine addict."

Lightning quickly made Cloud's drink and the exchange.

"It was really good to see you, Light," Cloud said as he left, his eyes lingering before pushing the door and heading out.

"Ooh, he's a cute one there, '_Light," _Fang teased suddenly, making Lightning jump.

"It's not like that, Fang," Lightning said, rolling her eyes, her voice growing slightly irritated, clenching her jaw.

Fang raised her hands in defense, "Sorry, but he did seem really into you." Fang smirked as Lightning walked off towards the downstair area in an irked manner.

"Okay, you just leave me up here… I'll probably burn the café down, though!" Fang teased as the pink-haired girl disappeared down the stairs.

Lightning's departure could not have been more perfectly timed for Fang because within five minutes, the line was backed out the door with customers that had come on a bus. Fang frantically was mixing the drinks, but the faces of the customers were only growing constantly more irritated.

"Lightning!" Fang shouted over the railing, drowning in orders. When the dark-haired girl leaned over the rail, she saw Lightning leaning against the wall 15 feet below her with a small amused grin on her face.

"Oh, did you need my help?" Lightning said, looking up with a feigned innocent look at Fang. Fang nodded quickly, as Lightning ran up the steps back behind the counter.

The two girls worked well together, often in sync where they needed to be. It only took them a few minutes longer to serve the highly caffeinated drinks to the rest of the customers who were definitely relieved to see another employee.

As the last customer left, Fang walked up to Lightning and punched her lightly on the shoulder. "Thanks for leaving me hanging, Light-bolt!" She said, her tone half-serious, half-joking.

Lightning looked over at the slightly taller girl, their eyes meeting. "Serves you right," her voice cold.

Fang frowned slightly. "Okay," She said and went back to work.

Feeling a tinge of guilt, but the too-proud-to-give-in Lightning went to the loft to sit since the fast-approaching evening would be slow. The pink-haired girl reclined on the comfortable couch with her hands folded behind her head. She watched as the waves lapped at the sand incessantly and as the sun sank closer and closer to the horizon line. The sun slowly turned the warm blue sky into a burning orange. It had a calming effect.

After the sun had sunk and the stars had begun to shine, Lightning wandered back down stairs to see Fang chatting animatedly with a bright red-headed girl that was about the same age as her sister.

"And I said, that chocobo hasn't got anything - Oh, hey, Lightning." Fang waved her over. "This is my sister Vanille. Lightning, Vanille. Vanille, Lightning," Vanille smiled a big smile, extending her hand to the pink-haired girl.

"Nice to meet you, Lightning!" Vanille said, her voice cheerful and warm.

"Likewise," Lightning said, shaking the younger girl's hand.

"Okay! I was just about to go, so, I'm off to the party. Ciao!" Vanille smiled and ran off out the door, leaving Fang and Lightning to tend the currently vacant store.

Lightning glanced over at Fang with an inquiring look, "You're just going to let her go off to a party?

"She's a smart kid and I trust her wholeheartedly. If she gets in trouble, she knows there'll be hell to pay from me." Fang grinned, pointing her thumb to herself.

Looking down, Lightning suddenly felt a small bit guilty. Only that morning, Serah had begged Lightning to go to a party that Lightning had blatantly said no too because Serah might get hurt or in trouble. "Maybe I should trust her more…" Lightning mumbled.

"Huh?" Fang asked.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to say that out loud."

"You're a strange one, Lightning, but a good one," Fang smiled at the pink-haired girl as she shook her head. Suddenly, the watch on her wrist gave a quiet _beep-beep. _"Ay, 9 o'clock. Closin' time!"

**Author's Note: **Okay, this one wasn't too much terribly longer because I decided to cut this chapter in half for the next chapter because right here seemed like a good place to leave off. The next chapter will seem familiar to anyone who read the other story, but it will still be a good bit different.

A note on ages; Lightning is 18. Fang is 19. Serah is 15. Vanille is 15. Hope is 15, going on 16. Snow is 19. Cloud is 19.

Also, a comment on Lightning's demeanor. She's not necessarily bitter at the world because Serah was taken from her, but she is still relatively cold and reserved at the moment with a few sarcastic one liners.

Thanks for taking your time to read this! Reviews are duly noted and welcomed!


	3. Chapter 3

"Shit."

Lightning and Fang had just finished locking up the store for the night. Lightning sat with head against the steering wheel, her head buzzing with frustration. Sitting back, the pink-haired girl gave the ignition another go but all that happened was a struggling stutter from the engine of her car. Again she tried, and again there was no roar to the engine.

_Tap tap. _

Lightning looked up quickly to see Fang standing next to her. "Problems?" Fang mouthed as she motioned at the lock, signaling Lightning to open the door.

As Lightning stepped out of the car, she slammed the door closed with a large amount of force. Her anger was evident.

"Sounds like the engine won't turn over," Fang mumbled, trailing her fingers lightly across the silver paint job. "Need a lift?"

Lightning sighed as she ran her fingers through her light-pink hair. "I guess so. Damn car!" Lightning shouted as she kicked the tire of the car, which she instantly regretted as pain shot through her foot but she said nothing.

"C'mon, my bike is over here." Fang motioned her over to where a black sport motorcycle waited under a tall palm tree. It was small and light, but looked like it could pack a punch.

Lightning felt her breath go unsteady as she examined the bike. It wasn't that she was scared, she was just not comfortable with the odds. She pushed the doubtful thoughts to back of her mind and walked calmly over to the bike.

"Here," Fang said as she handed her a sleek black helmet, "Put this on."

Lightning quickly stopped the helmet over head and pulled the visor down. It smelled like warm spices.

"Hey, where's your helmet?" Lightning asked, raising the visor back up as Fang straddled the bike and patted the area behind her.

Fang just laughed and shook it, "You're wearing it, Sunshine." Lightning made to take the helmet off, but Fang made a motion for her to stop. "It's fine, just keep wearing it."

Frowning behind the shaded visor, Lightning climbed onto the bike behind Fang, her hands quickly latching onto the small handhold at the back of the seat.

"You know, if you hold it there, you're definitely going to need that helmet," Fang said cheekily with a smirk as she revved the engine to life and began to head for the exit of the parking lot.

Slowly, Lightning let go of her tight grip on the small back hold and brought her hands around Fang's middle. For the surprisingly chilly night, Fang was putting off a lot of warm heat. As soon as Fang felt her wrap her arms around her, she pulled the handle all the way back, flooring the motorcycle. Lightning's grip around her tightened.

The wind in their faces was cold but relaxing as they sped down the road towards Lightning's house as Lightning gave directions. Streetlights were their only companions on the roads as the night grew ride was short and within five minutes, Fang was pulling up into the pink-haired girl's driveway. She killed the engine.

Lightning's house was a two-story white house with large windows. The lawn was decorated nicely, but highly unkempt as if no one cared enough to maintain the undergrowth.

As Lightning stepped off the bike and pulled off the helmet that had left her with intense helmet hair, Fang revved the bike back to life. Lightning looked down

"Hey, Fang, would you like to come in for a few?" Lightning questioned, her voice shouting above the roar of the engine. She ran her fingers through her mangled pink hair.

Fang quickly switched off her bike and smiled warmly. "Sure," she said, hopping the off the bike and pulling down the kickstand. Fang followed Lightning up the front steps and waiting as Lightning jiggled the key back and forth.

"Damn lock doesn't work very well," Lightning said as she threw her weight against the door as it finally come loose. "There we go," She whispered as she walked through the doorway, grabbing the mail out of the box before heading inside. "Junk, junk, junk. Oh, Hope's having a birthday party next month."

Fang nodded as she took in the sights of her co-workers house. It was streamlined and modern, most of the furniture was white with red and darker accents here and there for contrast against the bright theme. "Nice place, Light-bolt," Fang murmured quietly, following Lightning into the kitchen as she tossed the mailed onto the counter in a helpless pile.

"Thirsty?" Lightning asked, opening the refrigerator.

"Parched, actually."

"All we have is Chocobo Star," Lightning said, grabbing the bottle of the light blue-green soda and showing it to Fang.

"That's fine," Fang replied, taking the glass from Lightning and chugging a few sips of the liquid. "Ah… Good stuff, that."

Lightning simply nodded as she leaned against the cold granite of the counter directly across from Fang, her eyes smiling a little even if her expression was cold. Fang was still admiring the exquisite design and wealth of the house.

"What do your parents even do? This place is sweet."

Before her question was answered, Fang heard the shattering of glass as it fell to the pristine floor. Drops of blood were accompanying it.

"Oh my gosh, Lightning!" Fang jumped up and ran over to Lightning whose hand was cut up in several locations. Several of the cuts were deep. Blood was pouring out of her hand.

"I'm sorry," Lightning whispered, her blue eyes a mix of emotions.

Fang grabbed a damp rag and quickly wrapped it around Lightning's hand. "Do you have any bandages?"

Lightning nodded slowly, "I'll get them." She made to stand up.

"It's fine, Lightning, just tell me where they're at."

"In the upstairs bathroom, second door on the right. They're in the cabinet behind the mirror," Lightning said as she gripped her hands together tightly. The rag was now stained and soaked through with her own blood.

Fang quickly ran up the stairs and looked around. "Second door on the right… or was it the first? Shit," Fang mumbled, decided to just go with the first. It was a room with simple, neat furniture, but there were definitely a few interesting things that drew Fang's eye. Plastered to the walls were posters of a rock band called the Fal'Cie, which happened to be Fang's favorite band. Also, there in the corner was a sword of some kind. There seemed to be hinges on it. It was a gun blade. Fang realized this must be Lightning's room. She backed quickly out of it, and heading to the next door.

"Yeah, it was definitely the second," Fang said as she dug through the cabinet, grabbing the roll of bandages and wrapping tape, along with some disinfectant.

Running back downstairs, she found Lightning holding a different rag to her hand, the other rag thoroughly soaked and laying on the counter.

"Here," Fang whispered as she took the rag from the other girl's mangled hand, wiping away the lingering blood. She took the medicine and dabbed it lightly on her skin. Lightning drew in a quick breath of air as the cold liquid touched her hand. Quickly, Fang wrapped her hand with the bandages and delicately taped it where it needed it. Lightning slowly released her grip on her wrist where she hadn't realized she had been gripped so tightly.

Looking up into Fang's green eyes, she managed a smile. "Thank you, Fang. I owe you one."

"Nah, not a problem, Sunshine. You good? I need to get back home so I can make sure Vanille makes it home from the party all right."

Nodding, Lightning led Fang back out to the front door and waved goodbye with her non-injured hand as the girl drove away on her bike.

Just then, another car pulled up into the driveway. In the driver's seat she could see a tall blond boy and in the passenger seat was a girl with pink hair like her own.

Lightning felt herself go from calm to angry in just a moment. "Serah!" She shouted, marching down the got out of the car, her eyes looking down.

"I thought I told you not to go to the party, especially with that dumbass!" Lightning said, gesturing at Snow sitting in the car, clearly aware of what Lightning was saying.

Serah frowned, "I'm not a kid, Light! You're not mom or dad, you can't tell me what to do!" Serah slammed the car door before running inside, leaving Snow and Lightning outside.

Lightning sighed, running her good hand through her hair. She bent down to the passenger side of the rolled-down window of Snow's car. Her eyes were cold steel. She held her bandaged fist her, wincing slightly, but ignored it. "If I catch you with my sister again, especially after I've told her not to go out, you'll wish you had never been born."

Snow nodded, quickly reversing out of the Farron driveway.

Later that night, Lightning was standing outside of her sister's bedroom. She tried the handle, but it was locked. She knocked softly on the door, not really expecting her to open it. "Serah, can you open up?" Lightning asked softly.

"Go away, Light. I hate you," Serah shouted through the door.

Lightning sighed, her head pressed against the door. "I'm sorry, Serah. I just don't want to see you to get hurt. Snow is trouble." There was no reply from the girl on the other side of the door. Sighing again, Lightning walked back into her room and sat down on her bed, falling back. She couldn't lose Serah, she had already lost everyone else.

**Author's Note: **Yes, Serah is the rebellious teenager in the fic. Sorry if a lot of elements seemed familiar from the original, but it is technically the same story. I do hope this one is a definite improvement, though.

Feedback is greatly appreciated and taken in for consideration. Thanks for reading!

Next chapter is definitely going to be a fun one!


	4. Chapter 4

The warm summer morning at the coffee shop had been busy for the employees at Cup 13. School was out and coffee was in, especially with the large influx of college students flooding back home to visit family for the summer.

The week since her accident with the glass had been tough for Lightning. Serah had decided that she had needed stitches, so they had gone to the hospital the next morning. They made it hard for the girl to move her hand, but it was healing up well. The doctor had said that it would not leave a huge scar, if even one at all. Still, making coffee at work turned out to be more trouble than she had originally thought.

Grabbing the hot cups with her tender, still-healing skin was a challenge and making sure she didn't get coffee in her hand was another feat. Fang and Hope had made sure to do most of the work, but Lightning was indefinitely stubborn and constantly insisted that she did not need help from the two. She hated admitting it, but occasionally there were a few things she could not do.

Struggling with a particularly heavy delivery of creamer up to the loft from the downstairs area, Lightning gripped the box primarily with her left hand, her good hand, wedged between her arm and hip. The box weighed over 50 pounds, which was not bad normally for the girl. But, with the stairs and bad hand, she was having trouble.

Suddenly, the weight was lifted from her arm. Fang took the box from her and quickly carried it up the stairs. Lightning frowned up at Fang was beaming for helping, but quickly faltered when she saw Lightning's face.

"I don't need you to rescue me, Fang," Lightning's crystalline blue eyes showed their stubbornness as she went back down the stairs to grab another box.

Fang ran down the stairs and grabbed her arm. "Stop, Light. You'll be like this even longer if don't quit." Fang's face was full of concern. She knew that Lightning was as stubborn and hard-headed as she was, knowing good and well how hard it was to feel helpless and like she couldn't do anything. Fang understood exactly why Lightning was acting this way and that's why she had to make her stop.

Lightning looked up, her eyes burning but defeated. She complied and let Fang carry up the rest of the boxes. She hated feeling she need to be protected and helped.

"Earth to Lightning Farron! Earth the Lightning Farron!" Fang waved her hand in front of Lightning's face. She snapped to from staring out the window.

"Sorry, spaced for a minute. There's nothing to do but stare out the window," Lightning sighed. There hadn't been a customer in the store for more than an hour and she was not kidding when she said there was nothing to do.

"Yeah… anyways, I've got a question," Fang said, smiling broadly.

"Shoot," Lightning said warily.

"Okay, so Vanille backed out this morning and I've got two tickets…" Fang paused, building up the suspense, "TO SEE THE FAL'CIE!"

Lightning's placid expression froze, her eyes wide. "They're all sold out!" Lightning gasped.

Fang held up two slips of paper from her back pocket. "Wanna go?"

Trying hard to hold her definite excitement, Lightning grabbed one of the tickets for further examination. Judging by the seat numbers, they were for probably the second level and not anywhere close to the stage. Lightning didn't care, though. She would have given up anything for these tickets. "Yeah! I can't believe you're asking. The Fal'Cie is my favorite band!"

"Mine too!" Fang said excitedly, feeling like a child on Christmas morning at finding another who enjoyed the band. She had practically begged Vanille to go, but even at the last minute, she still didn't want to go.

"When's the show?" Lightning asked, glancing at the tickets now back in Fang's hand.

"Tonight at 9."

"Okay. Oh, shit. I told Serah that we would go see that new movie, what was it, Final Fantasy tonight. Dammit. She won't stop talking about it either." Lightning frowned, not wanting to disappoint her sister.

Fang smiled, "Vanille wanted to see that, too! Maybe we can send them out together to go see it. That way we aren't that terrible of older sisters."

Nodding, Lightning grinned a little. Her excitement was blatantly visible to Fang.

The small stadium was packed, only holding about 5,000 people. The concourse was relatively empty, though. Lightning and Fang managed to find their seats on the second level without little trouble and with only minutes to spare. Apparently, Fang was notorious for cutting it close.

As they took their seats, the lights shut off.

Fang looked over at Lightning, just barely making out her silhouette in the darkness. "Ready?" She shouted. Lightning nodded as the opening guitar riff went off. The lights followed in an eruptive display of color and noise. When the lights finally focused, the band stepped out of the shadows. The crowd went wild.

Etro, the lead singer, stepped forward. "Are you guys ready to rock?" She shouted, raising her mic in the air, her short silver hair being blown in every direction by the stage fans. The response from the crowd was unanimous. The band started into their first song, their hit single "The l'Cie."

"Man, this is so awesome! They're even better live," Fang said as her and Lightning stumbled out into the concourse during the intermission for snacks.

"I know. I feel like I've gone deaf, though," Lightning shouted needlessly.

"I bet you have," Fang laughed under breath as Lightning mouthed 'what?' "Nothing, c'mon, I saw a popcorn stand over there."

"Hey, this looks like a shortcut," Fang pointed to a set of stairs that looked like they led around the stadium. No one was using them and the concourse was so crowded with hungry fans. Lightning followed her up the stairs.

After a minute or so of walking and a complicated series of turns, they had still not found anything. "I think we're lost, Fang," Lightning mumbled as they walked down the rather small hallway.

"No we're not. There's totally going to be an empty concession stand over here. I can feel it in my bones… or not." The two came to a halt in front of a door that said "BACKSTAGE OFF LIMITS."

Lightning started to turn around, but Fang grabbed her arm. "Ten gil says you can't sneak backstage without getting caught."

Smirking, Lightning jogged back over the door. "You're on." Pressing her ear up to the door, Lightning heard nothing that sounded detrimental to their health, so she quietly slid the door open and slid in. She found herself in a dark area and within a moment she had nearly tripped over a massive amount of cords and wires that were crossing around the ground. Poking her head back out, she motioned for Fang to join her.

"I think we should head over there to that lit area," Lightning whispered to Fang. She could faintly hear the roar of the crowd.

The two shuffled their way over there in the dark, but the second they walked into the light, a set of rough hands were on them both.

"What do you think you're doing back here?" The burly guard asks them, holding them tightly.

"Uh, we got lost looking for the bathroom?" Fang suggested. Lightning shot her a look that said 'You are a terrible liar and we both know it.'

"Hey, Garret, let them go!" A voice said from behind a curtain.

"Etro, these two were trespassing," The guard rebutted, but was quickly silenced by the woman that stepped out from the shadows.

Fang let out a gasp and Lightning looked surprised. Etro stood before them and even after singing on stage for two hours and covered in a thin layer of sweat, she still looked beautiful.

"She's a goddess," Fang whispered, but was quickly silenced a but a quick elbow to the ribs from Lightning.

"I know, but they don't seem like they mean any harm. Just let them go and I'll deal with them." Etro smiled to the security guard and waved him off.

"What are your names?" She asked.

"I'm Fang, this is Lightning," Fang said as calmly as possible as she pointed. She never thought she'd get this close to her favorite artist.

"Hi, Fang, Lightning. I'm Etro. Listen, I've got a favor to ask of you two."

"What? Us?" Fang asked in a shocked tone.

Etro nodded. "My two backup singers have been sick all night and I asked them to tough the first half of the show, but they just can't do it. Can you sing?" Etro smiled cal my.

"I don't sing," Lightning said.

"Can't or won't?" Etro asked.

"I've never sang in front of a crowed before," Lightning replied, suddenly unsure of all singing ability. She supposed as a kid she had done a bit of singing, per request of her parents, but it wasn't something she like do frequently.

"C'mon, Light! When will you get another opportunity like this?" Fang inquired, her eyes pleading. She was pretty sure this was an all or nothing package, so if Lightning didn't sing, then she wouldn't get to either.

"O-okay. I'll sing."

"Great!" Etro said, still smiling. "I trust you know the words?"

Fang and Lightning nodded together.

Etro handed them two mics. "Show starts in two. Hope you're ready!" At that, she walked away, leaving Fang and Lightning to prepare.

"I don't think I can do this, Fang," Lightning said in an nervous tone.

"Don't worry, Sunshine. They'll love you. C'mon, better go get ready."

Walking out onto the stage, the two were suddenly blinded by the lights on the stage. With a nod from Etro, the band started playing and they just stood their awkwardly.

As Etro started to sing, Lightning lifted the mic to sing and started to sing but no words followed. She gripped the mic tightly, feeling like it would shatter in her hand. Her heart was pounding and everything seemed jumbled in her mind. Lightning looked frantically around, feeling the growing anxiety in the pit of her stomach as the fans cheered. Fang glanced over and saw the girl struggling. Sidestepping quickly over, she leaned over to Lightning.

"I know you can do it," Fang said into Lightning's ear. Shivers ran down her spine, a calmness coming over her. As the next verse came up, she managed to begin with Etro and Fang. Lightning got a thumbs up from Fang and she smiled into the mic as her voice grew more bold.

As the song came to a close, the crowd cheered loudly, applause resounding throughout the stadium. Etro grabbed one hand from Fang and one hand from Lightning, raising them up into the air and took a bow with them.

"Great job, you guys!" Etro said, her hand covering her mic. She turned to face the crowd. "Thanks for being an amazing audience tonight! Shout out to Bodhum!" The band played their famous outro fanfare as the band members left the stage.

"Fang, your singing voice is amazing," Lightning said softly in the cover of the curtains behind the stage. Her heart was still racing from the performance.

"So is yours. I didn't take you as the type to have stage fright, though."

"Anyone can have it. I told you I don't sing. Mostly for that reason," Lightning replied, feeling slightly ashamed of her lack of confidence in that one specific field. Fand had had no problem getting right up in front of the crowd and putting on a great show.

"It's fine, Light. You did really great out there! A natural," Fang smiled warmly at the pink-haired girl.

"Thanks, but I don't plan on doing that anytime soon."

"Same."

"Smileee!" Etro chimed, walking up from her dressing room, wrapping her arms around the girls as one of the staff members aimed a camera at them. The flash was blinding, but even Lightning smiled more than usual.

The camera was an insta-print so the second it slid out of the ejector, the camera handed it to Fang. She murmured a thanks as she examined the still-processing photo.

"I can't thank you two enough for covering for Nix and Shiva. They really appreciate it. By the way, you two are such a cute couple. It's almost enviable." Etro said as they broke the pose.

"I, we, uh, what? We're not a couple," Fang chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head, not glancing at Lightning.

"Oh, well, sure seemed like it. Well, I gotta run. The VIP section awaits and too many fans waiting for an autograph. Maybe we'll meet again!" The singer ran off towards the line of fans that had begun forming on the side of the stage.

"We don't look like a couple, do we?" Fang asked, turning to Lightning who simply shrugged.

"Ready to go?" Lightning asked, walking towards the direction that had snuck in.

"Yeah, this was a lot of fun. I can't believe we were on stage with the Fal'Cie. If we didn't have that picture, I don't think anyone would ever believe us," Fang chuckled, admiring the photo again. The two girls exited the stadium and spent the entire ride back talking about what a great show it was.

**Author's Note: **I have been looking forward to writing this chapter for like ever. It may seem a bit far-fetched, but this has happened to me. Not with a famous rockstar, but with just a small-time singing group. Haha, but still. This chapter was definitely harder to write sing Fang and Lightning were pretty much doing the exact thing the whole chapter.

I pegged Lightning as the one who would have stage fright because to me, her reserved nature would probably lead to a bit of a insecure reaction to the singing in front of 5,000 people thing.

As always, thank you for reading! I really appreciate feedback and take it all into consideration.

Next chapter isn't written because I'm doing a little bit of plot re-working, but back to the coffee shop for now!

You guys are great!

- Ceuriss

ps. i can't believed i doubled the length from the last chapter. holla.


	5. Chapter 5

The weeks at the coffeeshop trickled by in the heat of the summer. Nearly every night, bands were playing in the small public venue, making the ballroom and coffee shop the hit of the city. Amodar had decided to hire four extra sets of hands for the season to handle the packed place. Caius, Yeul, Sazh, and Noel had all been great additions to the team. Yeul was great at helping backstage with the bands, prepping them to thrill the crowd. Noel helped Fang, Lightning, and Hope at the counter with the seemingly never-ending orders of coffee and late-night drinks that they sold during their nighttime events. Caius fit best as a security guard and usher since the shop was packed on all three levels most nights. As for Sazh, Amodar realized he was wicked tech and set him to the task of running the sound for all of the gigs.

Tonight was especially packed because people from all over Cocoon flooded into Bodhum for the special fireworks. There was an old legend that said that the fireworks would grant the wishes of those who watched them. Lightning had always scoffed at it as a young teenager, but as she had grown older, the fireworks had become very nostalgic. Her parents had always taken her and her sister to see it, with Lightning's charge during the festival to make sure her rambunctious sister did not get into any trouble. Leaning against the counter, watching the customers flit about the second story, Lightning reminisced about the days gone by with a faint smile in her eyes and on her face.

"Ooh, look who's smiling now," Fang smirked, leaning with her back against the counter next to Lightning, her green eyes alight with a playful, childlike gleam. Lightning just gave Fang a sidelong glance, blowing her bangs out of her face.

"Yeah, yeah. Shove off," Lightning stood up fully, shoving Fang lightly on the shoulder. The taller girl feigned a loss of balance, grabbing Lightning's arm on the way down. The two crumpled to the floor with Fang cackling wildly, her hand still wrapped tightly around Lightning's arm, enjoying how everything had played out.

"Hey, Sunshine," Fang said through stifled laughter as they lay next to each other on the cold wooden floor, staring at the ceiling as she and Lightning struggled to get up. Suddenly a pair of feet blockaded their view.

Noel had hopped over the counter and was now sitting on top of it, a goofy grin on his face. "You two are weird _and _klutzy. Anyways, we've got customers so I'd appreciate it if you two would get off the floor and actually make coffee." Despite the reprimanding, Noel's tone was light and fun.

Lightning stood up first, offering her hand to Fang and quickly helped her off the cold ground. "Right," Lightning said awkwardly as she brushed the dirt off her sides in front of the growing line of customers. "Thanks, Fang. I just love falling down in front all of these customers; very helpful."

Fang stuck her tongue at the pink-haired girl as she busied herself in a handful of orders.

There was a general silence that had fallen over the crowds of people that had gathered on the beach and nearby shops in the anticipation for the fireworks that were to begin at any moment. The Bodhum Cup 13 employees had all gathered on the massive balcony that overlooked the ocean, patiently waiting for the impressive light show.

Leaning against the weathered wooden railing, Lightning and Fang stood next to Noel and Serah who were chatting quite animatedly. Lightning narrowed her eyes, shooting a warning glance at Noel who seemed overly friendly with her sister. Noel just threw up his hands as if that was enough to ward off Light's protective older sister nature. Serah just glared at Lightning. She was still on the rebound from Snow, whom she had broken up with the week before, but Noel was so kind and funny that she just felt drawn to him. Not that her sister would understand. She motioned for Noel to leave the balcony area as to be away from Lightning and her eagle eyes.

"She'll be fine, Light," Fang said quietly, her green eyes locking with Lightning's blue.

Her eyes softened, "I know…" Lightning leaned in slightly, her arm connecting to Fang's. She enjoyed the warmth the other girl put off on the cooler-than-usual summer evening.

_BOOM._

The first firework had been launched into the sky, a mixed explosion of blue and red. Firework after firework exploded and the crowd cheered in awe of the the lights that filled the whole sky with an explosive fire.

"Which ones do you like the best?" Fang asked, smiling up at the night sky.

Lightning hesitated as she watched colors flood the sky. "I like the ones that look like a willow tree, because they last the longest," She paused as a firework like the one she had just described lit up the sky. "Fireworks; they're just like lightning. Flashes bright then fades away just as quickly." Lightning fiddled with the lightning-bolt shaped pendant that she always wore. Her mother had given it to her as a young child. She's always been fascinated by the mysteriousness and ominousness of a thunderstorm.

As the finale burst and filled the sky with every color imaginable, Fang turned to Lightning apprehensively. "Hey, Light, Hope's party is next week, so I was wondering if you-" Fang's question was cut off abruptly to an Amodar calling their names for a group picture since they all rarely had a time to relax together.

Amodar quickly lined everybody up; Hope, Yeul, and Lightning in the front. Cauis, Sazh, Noel, and Fang in the back. Whether or not the smiled were feigned or genuine, Amodar fumbled with the camera but managed a relatively decent picture. After that, the crowds began to fan out, backing up traffic for miles. That was okay, though, because everyone at the coffee shop was on cleanup duty after having a full house of rambunctious patrons.

By the time Fang had finished her assigned chores, Serah and Lightning had already left. Fang was a little let down since she had wanted to ask Lightning something, but decided it was for the best to just not ask at all. Wandering around the store, she finally found Vanille and Hope in the loft with Vanille sleeping softly on Hope's shoulder. It seemed Serah was not the only one growing fond of a boy.

Fang cleared her throat, startling Hope. He looked nervous.

"Er, she fell asleep on me and now I am stuck because I don't want to wake her." Hope fumbled with his word and Fang stared him down. Fang smiled at the kid, shaking her sister abrasively.

"Oh, Fang. G'morning," Vanille said sleepily.

"C'mon, Vanille. Time to go home," Fang hoisted Vanille up in her arms. The girl was incredibly light which made it easy for Fang to carry her down the stairs.

Lightning reclined on her bed, listening as Serah paced about her room, incessantly talking about her evening with Noel. As she continued on, Lightning began to tune her out, thinking about her own night. Something itched at her, like she had forgotten something. Something Fang had said or done, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. The pink-haired girl pondered on it until Serah had eventually finished ranting and had finally left her older sister's room.

"Hey, didn't you ask me something? I can't for the life of me remember what it was." Lightning quickly sent the text to Fang as she changed out of her uniform and into the shorts and tank top that she slept in.

Her phone buzzed. "nah it was nothing" was the reply.

Lightning just shrugged. "Okay, I couldn't remember. Thanks."

"did you have a good time tonight?"

"Yeah, Serah wouldn't stop talking for an hour about how good of a time she had."

"same with vanille"

The two texted back and forth for a while before sleep finally claimed Lightning and then Fang when she realized Lightning wasn't going to reply anymore.

**Author's Note: **I had not originally planned for this chapter to be in here, but actually now that I've written it, I wouldn't have done it any other way. It's a good transition chapter, to say the least.

As for ages, if you were wondering, Sazh is 24. Noel is 16. Caius is 19. Yeul is 16.

Next chapter will be the party.

Thank you all so much for the reviews! They really do mean a lot to me, and definitely helps me to write. I have noticed that a lot of you did like certain elements of the other story, and as per multiple request, I may do a one-off fix about the street racing. Probably won't be very long, though.

In case you didn't notice, the supporting ships are Hope/Vanille and Serah/Noel. Serah/Noel because I really do not like Serah/Snow. In other news, I have decided this story will probably be about 10-15 chapters. If it even makes it that far. I am not a long-winded writer at all. Short, sweet, and to the point.

Reviews and feedback is all very, very much appreciated! Thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 6

Sitting unhappily in the backseat of her own car, Lightning fidgeted nervously. Noel had gotten his license when he had turned sixteen, but that didn't make him even remotely the best driver. Only after relentless pleading from puppy-eyes Noel Kreiss and the eternal optimist Serah had she reluctantly given in. The sense of impending doom was overwhelming.

As the three pulled into Hope's driveway, Lightning released the tension in her muscles. Noel's driving had been sporadic at best. Serah congratulated him on how well he drove and Lightning just shook her head. As they got out of the car, they grabbed the presents they had gotten for Hope and headed inside. Serah linked arms with Noel and cheerfully walked up the sidewalk to the door with Lightning following with distance between the two younger teenagers.

Knocking on the door, Lightning looked around at the house. It was a three-story mansion with a two car garage. The place was huge. She vaguely recalled Hope saying his dad was a surgeon or something like that, but she mainly couldn't figure out why Hope worked as much as he did when his parents were obviously very wealthy.

The door flung open suddenly with a kindly woman with ashe gray blonde hair stood and welcomed them in. "Ah, come on in. You must be the Farrons, and you are…?" The woman asked, turning to Noel.

"Noel. Noel Kreiss. Nice to meet you," The young brown-haired boy stuck out his hand with a puppy dog grin on his face. The woman shook it gratuitously before showing them through the house to the back deck and yard where the life of the party was. It seemed they were nearly last to arrive.

A figure waved at the trio. It was someone Lightning had not expected to see again, especially here.

"Claire!"

Lightning clenched her jaw. "Cloud." The blond-haired guy quickly jogged up to her, brushing his hair back as he was soaking wet, apparently he'd already made it to the pool. He wasn't wearing a shirt and Lightning could tell Serah was marveling at the shape he was in.

"What are you doing here, Cloud?" Lightning said tersely, not trying to sound harsh but that's how it came out.

"Oh, I've been Hope's neighbor for years. We used to hang out when we were younger."

"Right," Lightning said. "I'm just gonna go put Hope's present over there-"

Before she had even taken two steps, the wrapped box was pulled from her hands. "Don't worry, Claire. I got it," Cloud said smiling sweetly at the pink-haired girl. Lightning frowned as he walked away.

"Hey, Light. Was that Cloud? He sure has grown up a lot since the last time I saw him!" Serah said, following the blond-haired boy. Lightning scoffed at Serah's comment as Serah leaned over to Noel and whispered something in his ear, causing the boy the blush and fumble with his words. The older pink-haired girl did not even want to know what that was about.

Scanning the party guests, Lightning eyes finally found Fang was knee-deep in a group of guys lined up waiting to what seemed like arm wrestle the dark-haired girl. Smirking a little, the girl strode over to where the line was forming and got in the back of the line. By the time that Lightning's turn came around, Fang had not lost a single match. As she took her seat, Fang grinned at her friend.

"You're late, Light-bolt."

"Whatever, bring it." Lightning propped her elbow up on the wooden table, readying her arm for the match. She was no stranger to the heavy weights.

Fang's hand latched in Lightning's and the battle began. At first, Lightning took a a significant lead, smirking at the green-eyed girl but an instant later Fang pushed Light's arm much farther to the winning side. A crowd was beginning to form around them. Lightning's face was tense but she could tell Fang muscles were quivering. She clenched her hand tighter around Fang's and pushed her hand to the middle where they struggled for the lead but Lightning quickly pushed Fang's hand almost flat against the table.

"You're. Not. Winning. This. Sunshine." Fang said, struggling against Lightning. With a frustrated cry, she slammed Lightning's hand into the table. She jumped up in victory and the small crowd that had gathered cheered.

"Agh, c'mon. Rematch! I almost had you!" Lightning folded her arms, frustrated that Fang had beaten her.

Fang grinned, shaking her head. "Nope. Fair's fair." Lightning noticed Fang's face as she leaned a small bit closer was red but accredited it their small war that they had launched.

Glancing over across the yard, Lightning could see Hope directing a small crowd of people. He had a soccer ball in his hand. "Alright, alright. Let's just make this a game, shall we? How about a soccer match?"

Fang's face lit up. "You're on, Light!" The two girls jogged over, quickly asking to be on one of the pick-up teams. Fang on one team and Lightning on the other.

Hope's backyard was nearly big enough to host a full-sized soccer field, but they didn't have nearly enough people interested to have the full 22 players. On Lightning's team was Hope, Yeul, Noel, Cloud and a girl named Alyssa Zeidell that she had never met. On Fang's team there was Serah, Vanille, Caius, and Noctis, another of Hope's neighbors.

The two teams set their defense and offense and set the ball in the center of the coned off area that had been designated to be the playing field. Hope's mother was taking lots of pictures and the incessant flash of the camera was enough to drive anyone insane.

Lightning took the lead kickoff after a small coin toss. She kicked it back to Noel who booted the ball down the field. Lightning wasn't just a nickname. The girl was fast and so she took off at a sprint down the field, catching up with the ball. Vanille was the defense that approached her with Noctis on her close right, closing in quickly. Cloud ran up to her side, calling for the ball. With a quick square pass, the ball continued on down the field.

Before Cloud had dribbled down the field more than ten feet, Fang swooped in and swiped the ball away and ran swiftly down the left side of the field. Lightning frowned, halting in her tracks, switching directions on a dime. The pink-haired girl hoped that her scant defense could hold its own.

Hope and Yeul charged at Fang, but Fang barreled at them at full speed, scaring them off from their assault. Alyssa was the only one left in the way of Fang and she just ran away screaming as Fang kicked the ball at a ferocious speed at the goal. The score was one to zero.

Lightning let out a hiss of frustration as the teams reset. This time at kick-off, she kept the ball, opting for a quick side pass to Noel as she ran. Running quickly ahead of Caius as he charged, Lightning called for the ball back.

"Hey, Light-bolt."

Lightning jumped, not expecting Fang to be right behind her. The ball went right to Fang's feet as Lightning was distracted.

"Dammit," Lightning whispered as she quickly chased down Fang, cutting her off as she crossed half field, swooping the ball back to the offensive. This time she charged for the goal solo, punting the ball from afar at her sister in the goal. Serah held up her hands to block her face, closing her eyes tightly. The ball went right past her. The score was one to one.

"All tied up, Fang!" Lightning called across the field and Fang's team set up the ball. Fang grinned.

"Don't worry, Light, this isn't over yet!" Fang backed up from the ball, running at it full speed, going in for a strong kick. Fang never was known for her aim.

The next thing Fang realized was the sound of someone crying out in pain and Lightning crumpled on the ground, the ball rolling away from. She was clutched her head.

"Oh shit, Lightning I am so sorry!" Fang said, rushing over the girl.

"Ouch," Lightning whispered, trying to focus on the figures that crowded around her. Her vision was blurry and her head pounded. Nothing made sense in the flurry of sounds and movement. She feels a warm hand cup her head gently. "Fang?" Lightning asked, but the hand was pulled away abruptly. Her vision cleared a little, enough to see Cloud pushing Fang away as he picked up her body that felt clouded and confused. _Wait, _she tried to say, no words came out, but Cloud quickly carried her inside, all the while telling her how it was Fang's fault and that he wasn't going to let anything happen to her.

Fang stood helplessly rooted in her spot as she watched Lightning be carried inside. "Way to go, Fang," Fang whispered to herself defeatedly. She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Hope.

"It's note your fault, Fang. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," Hope smiled up at Fang, his teal gray eyes full of understanding and sympathy.

"She's going to hate me now, Hope," Fang frowned.

"She doesn't hate you. You two are more than that."

"Yeah, but…" Fang sighed and quietly walked inside. She stood leaning against a wall as Lightning came to, an ice pack held gently to the side of her head. She smiled at Fang, who quickly returned her smile.

Cloud rushed over to Lightning, constantly asking her if she was okay. Lightning's replies were agitated, but the message was apparently not clear to Cloud because the blond-haired guy leaned and pressed his lips into Lightning's. The kiss held for only a moment before Lightning shoved him away. Fang stood shocked behind the wall she had been leaning on, only catching a glimpse of Lightning as she whirled out of the room back outside.

"Great job, numbskull!" Fang shouted at Cloud who looked hurt and confused. She quickly ran out the door after Lightning.

Lightning sat on the floor, leaning against a bench that was in the gazebo in Hope's backyard. It was a place of solace after the whirlwind of events that had happened the past five minutes. "Oh how quickly things change," Lightning whispered before she saw Fang slink into the gazebo. The dark-haired girl sat opposite of her, also on the wooden floor of the gazebo.

The two said nothing for a while, just soaking in the silence.

"I guess you saw that," Lightning said.

Fang simply nodded.

"We dated our junior year. We were the stars of the track team and everyone said we'd be a great couple. I think we were mostly together because of peer pressure. I broke it off. There was no connection. I… I didn't realize he's been in love with me this whole time." Lightning's eyes were a blue mixture of confusion and frustration.

"I think he got the message," Fang said, referencing Lightning's hasty escape. "I'm sorry, Light."

The pink-haired girl looked up, confused. "For what?"

Fang gestured to her head.

"Oh, it's not like you shot me. I'll be okay. I am fine." Lightning stood up and Fang followed suit, making their way over to where the crowd was beginning to gather on the deck.

Hope's parents were bringing out a cake as the two walked up the steps. Two candles in the shape of a sixteen were on top of the three-tiered yellow and teal cake. All of his family and friends gathered around him, singing the timeless classic "Happy Birthday." At the end of the song. the silver-gray haired boy blew out the candles, smiling broadly but quickly frowned that turned into laughter as Vanille dug her finger into the icing and smearing it across Hope's face.

After slices of the incredibly sweet cake had been passed out, Hope set to work on his presents. From Lightning he had received a knife that had once been hers. It was still in flawless condition and seemed like a good thing to give to the kid. Serah had just opted for a card filled with gil. His parents gifted him an incredibly intricate and complex, high-end boomerang. When Hope opened Fang's present, he found a copy of the Fal'Cie's newest CD. She hadn't known if he liked the band or not, but he was sure to be a diehard fan after he listened to it. Hope got a kiss on the cheek from Vanille.

Hope thanked everyone and it was unanimously decided that getting in the pool seemed like a good idea.

Sitting with her feet in the deep end, Lightning pulled her tank top and shorts off, revealing her bright red bikini, tossing it in the grass. Fang quickly joined her on the concrete beside her. Lightning smiled a little as the tan girl with her toned body slid her feet into the water, letting out a little _brrr _as she touched the water.

The girls talked for a few minutes, just splashing their feet around in the water. To Fang, Lightning seemed faded and off.

"Are you sure you're okay, Light?" Fang asked, concern tinging her voice.

Lightning nodded, trying to appear okay for Fang. In truth her head was still muddled and confused from the impact of the ball, but she was sure it would wear off soon. Deciding that she was fine, Lightning shoved Fang lightly, pushing her into the cool water.

Fang floundered about in the water for only a moment for grabbing Lightning's foot, pulling her into the deep end. Lightning quickly surfaced, her strong legs treading the water. She splashed a little water into Fang's face who turned around to swim away from the incessant splashing.

Lightning's legs faltered as she swam, not coordinating with her head and her arms. As Fang swam further away, she sank. No matter how hard she tried, her legs and arms wouldn't move. Darkness clouded her eyes, feeling the black of unconsciousness grab her violently.

Fang turned around when the small tidal waves had ceased, but Lightning was gone. She glanced down to see the girl underwater. "Sneak attack, eh?" Fang said, chuckling. Her laugh died out as Lightning wasn't moving under the water, just sinking slowly to the floor of the pool. Panic quickly filled her chest.

"Lightning!" Fang shouted, before diving under the water, swimming down the floor and grabbing the other girl's limp body. She pulled her to the surface, shouting for help to get her out of the water. Noctis and Noel ran over, lifting Lightning's unconscious body out of the water, Fang quickly following. She checked under Lightning's nose for signs of breathing, watching her chest. No signs of movement. "Shit," Fang whispered.

"Does anyone know CPR?" Noel called, but Fang just shoved him away from Lightning. Fang had been a lifeguard one summer, but the process was foggy in her mind. She had to try anyway.

Tilting the other girl's head back slightly, leveling her neck to her chest, she parted her mouth slightly. Fang placed her hands on her the flat area of Lightning's, starting the compressing.

"One, two, three, four, five," Fang counted quietly to herself. Noel was dialing the emergency response and Noctis had run off to find help. Fang leaned over Lightning's mouth, blowing air forcefully into her chest. She repeated this over and over.

"Dammit, Light! Wake up!" Fang shouted, doing the compressions harder than necessary, but it did the trick.

With a cough, Lightning spit water from her mouth. Her blues eyes flickered open, filled with pain.

"Lightning," Fang breathed, hugging the barely conscious Lightning.

"Fang," Lightning said breathlessly, her surroundings confused.

"I am so glad you're okay."

Hope's father ran down to pool, a small bag of medical supplies in his hand. Kneeling down beside Lightning, he ran a few small tests like making sure she could breathe and other things to make sure she was okay.

"Lightning, you've got a concussion. Can you recall any recent events that might have led to this?" Dr. Estheim's voice was full of concern and kindness as he examined her.

"I… I got hit in the head during a soccer match a little while ago," Lightning said, not looking at Fang.

A surge of guilt washed over Fang. "It's my fault," Fang whispered; the feeling was overwhelming.

"Alright, Lightning. I want you to get someone to drive you home and you rest for about week. Don't do anything that would even be remotely stressful, or the concussion could cause serious problems."

Lightning just nodded. Her body felt weak and limp. She couldn't recall ever feeling so helpless. Suddenly, a pair of warm arms lifted her off the grounds. It was Fang.

"I'm sorry, Light, this is all my fault," Fang whispered to Lightning, not looking at her as she carried her up the stairs to inside. Lightning said nothing, looking at Fang's pained face wanting to say more but couldn't, letting Fang carry her to her car. Noel and Serah followed. By the time, Noel, Serah, and Lightning were situated in the car and Fang had gone back to cookout, the ruckus caused by the accident had died down and the party seemed to be going back to normal. But for Fang, everything felt dreadful. Wishing Hope happy birthday again, she decided it was time for her and Vanille to go.

**Author's Note: I am 100% sure this is the longest chapter I've ever written. Ever. Good way to finish out the new year, I suppose! [When I am writing this, it's still December 31, but I probably won't post it today since I posted yesterday.]**

**Fang may seem like a hero, but she sure doesn't feel like it. Poor Fang. I don't really have much to say in this AN.**

**Thank you for reading and reviews are very, very much appreciated. I really enjoy seeing what you all have to say about the story and any ideas about the direction the story is going in. **

**Anyways, I hope you all had a good holiday break, or whatnot.**


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: It's been a month in-story since the last chapter. I couldn't find a good place to insert that bit of information._

The sky above steadily grew darker with heavy rain clouds as Lightning and Fang walked down the worn sidewalk path. The clouds threatened to pour, but held their moisture for now.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Fang asked, looking over to Lightning as they walked, her eyes cold and her face downcast. Lightning looked up, nodding.

"We're here," Lightning breathed, stopping in front of the large cast iron gate with 'East Bodhum Cemetery' wrought into the top of banner. Clenching her jaw, steeling her aching heart, she and Fang walked onward.

Lightning fell to her knees in the soft grass before the gravestone. Clenching the flowers in her hands tightly, she could feel the hot, sticky tears fighting to escape from her eyes. Lightning wiped them away as Fang knelt beside her.

Fang had learned shortly after they had met that Lightning and Serah's parents were deceased, but she did not know much about everything that happened. The dark-haired girl thought it best not to pry on such a delicate topic. Looking at Lightning, she could see the pain in her eyes as she stared at the names on the smooth granite.

Lightning clutched the flowers to her chest tightly before placing them as gently as possible against the grave. Resting her hand on the top of the stone, the tears finally fell. Lightning felt a warm arm drape around her body. She tensed, but Fang's warmth let her relax.

"It's been six years since my mother died. Four since my father's death," Lightnng said, her voice quivering. "Mom… she had cancer. She fought and fought for years, always pretending like the pain wasn't there. I could see it in her eyes everyday. I could see how it tore her down every day. Then one day she was just gone. She couldn't fight anymore and it took her." Lightning paused as another small tear trickled down her face as she went back to day when she was a child, constantly asking her father if her mother was going to be okay.

"Dad… there was a bad storm two years after my mother died. He was coming home from work early because he had a surprise for my birthday," Lightning swallowed hard as she spoke. "He hydroplaned on the way home, just a few miles from the house, and flipped. His car rolled into the other lane, right into an oncoming car. They said the impact killed him instantly so he didn't suffer."

"Oh, Light, I am so, so very sorry…" Fang said quietly, her chest aching as the other girl told her story. She wrapped her other arm around Lightning's body, hugging her tightly. Lightning leaned in closer, letting Fang hold her close.

"I had to be strong for Serah… in the four years we were under the care of the government, we were separated twice. When I got her back, I told myself I'd never let anything happen to her."

"I never knew my parents," Fang started after a few minutes of silence, "I grew up in foster care. Home to home. I met Vanille when I was about six. Same thing. We were in the same home for a while and we became inseparable. We told our foster parents that we were a package deal and if either one of us got sent to another home, the other was coming with us. We were so stubborn and obstinate, we eventually got our way," Fang said with a sad chuckle.

"It was lonely, though, growing up. Everyone you got close to, they eventually got ripped away, went somewhere else. But it was always okay, because someone new always took their place. It made it easy to make new friends." Fang let go of her grasp of Lightning, grabbing her hand to pull her to her feet.

Suddenly, droplets of rain began to slowly drop from the sky. All at once, the rain poured. Fang and Lightning stood in the rain for a moment, before taking off back down the sidewalk, their clothes already soaked completely through. By the time they made it back to Lightning's car, the lightning and thundered had begun.

Fang and Lightning sat in the car, dripping wet as they watched the rain pound incessantly on the windshield.

"I'm glad you came with me," Lightning said, looking at Fang with blue eyes that were no longer clouded with the pain of the past.

"Any time, Light," Fang said softly, giving her a small smile.

The drive back to Lightning's house was a quiet one, only the dull buzz of the radio and patter of rain pervading the silence. When they arrived back at Lightning's house, the rain was still pouring.

"You can't drive back in the rain," Lightning stated as they pulled into the garage, glancing over at Fang's bike that was parked beside the interior wall.

"And what I am I to do the rain stops?" Fang ask curiously.

"Come inside and get out of those wet clothes."

Fang smiled as she followed the pink-haired girl inside, up the stairs to Lightning's room. A moment later, Lightning chunked a towel, a t-shirt, and a pair of baggy sweatpants at her. "Sorry, that's all I've got that will fit you," Lightning said, frowning at Fang's taller stature.

"S'fine," Fang said, walking out the the door and heading for the bathroom. When Fang returned, she found Lightning sitting on her bed, legs folded up to her chest, her light hair wrapped in a messy bun that was still dripping from the rain. Her dark clothing had been replaced by the usual tank top and shorts. She had a mug in her hand and another on her night stand. Lightning glanced as over, motioning at it while she sipped on the hot liquid.

Fang picked up the blue mug, sniffing the cup. It smelled of a warm tea with cinnamon and other spices; the scent was relaxing. She sat on the edge of Lightning's bed and began sipping on the tea.

There was a knock at the door. Serah popped out behind the door as she opened it, her hair messy and bedraggled. Her eyes were red and she sniffled frequently. "Hey, you're back," Serah said, her voice clogged and nasally.

Lightning nodded, "How are you feeling?"

Serah frowned, "I'm good. How are Mom and Dad?"

"They're doing good. They said hi and hope you feel better so you can come visit them next time," Lightning said softly to her sister as she sat down on the bed on the other side of Fang. Lightning wrapped her arms around her sister for a moment, but recoiled when she felt the heat radiating off the girl. Lightning lifted the back of her hand to Serah's forehead. It was very hot.

"It's fine, I just took some more medicine before you got here," Serah said, her blue eyes tired.

"Alright, well, go get some more rest." Serah nodded and left the room, closing the door quietly.

"Poor kid," Fang said, still sipping on her tea, enjoying the warmth in her hands.

The sun was starting to peep through the clouds and Fang walked down the front steps of Lightning's house. Lightning was standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame as she waved goodbye. Fang hesitated as she got the last step. She looked back at Lightning who gave her a confused look.

"Forget something?" She asked. Fang shook her head, walking back up the stairs.

"I had a question, Light," Fang said apprehensively.

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to go on a date with me?" Fang looked down as she asked.

"What?"

"Wait, no, I'm sorry. It was a stupid question," Fang quickly backed down the stairs, "I'll be going now."

"Fang, wait!" Lightning called, stepping out of the door. "I didn't mean- I mean, yes, I'd like to go on a date with you." She smiled faintly at the dark-haired girl. She had been taken by surprise by the question, but a pleasant surprise at that.

"Really? Okay, well, how about Friday at 6?" Fang smiled broadly. Her heart was pounding from the hesitation to excitement. Lightning wanted to go on a date with her.

"Alright, it's a date."

As Lightning shut the door, she leaned against it, smiling inwardly. Suddenly, there was a creak at the top of the stairs. Serah was leaning against the rail in her pajamas, just grinning.

"_I knew it,_" Serah said, a sly grin plastered to her face.

"Shut it, kid," Lightning threatened, still smiling a little even as her sister teased it.

**Author's Note: **It's out, it's out! Fang finally asked and neither of them could be happier! It only took Fang three and a half months from the time she met Fang. She's definitely a procrastinator.

Sorry the graveyard scene was so short. It was really hard to write since it was a really emotional scene. I hope it was okay, though.

Thanks for reading! I hope you are enjoying the story and, as always, reviews and comments are greatly appreciated! To all that have left reviews, I really appreciate all of the wonderful things you all have to say. It actually helps me write the chapters.


	8. Chapter 8

"No. No. Definitely no. Damn, Light, is all you own tank tops and shorts?" Serah questioned, not even bothering to glare at Lightning, who was perched on the edge of her bed, as Serah ripped her closet apart, much to Lightning organized dismay.

"Aha!" Serah said, pulling a sleeveless red summer dress from the closet. It still had the tags on it. Serah pranced over to Lightning who just rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Light. This is perfect!"

"What's wrong with the stuff I normally wear?" Lightning complained, feeling repulsed at the thought of wearing a flimsy, slightly see-through dress. Serah had given her the dress last year as a gift, mostly as an encouragement to vary her usual attire, but it had laid dormant in the closet for a year, forgotten.

"It's a date. A date with Fang," Serah said, emphasizing Fang's name, giggling on the inside as she watched her sister squirm.

"Alright, alright. Give me the dumb dress." Lightning stood up, grabbing the dress from her sister before promptly shoving her out of her room.

"Wow, Lightning," Fang said as she opened the door of her apartment where Lightning stood waiting to take them to the restaurant. "You look beautiful."

Lightning glanced away at the comment, preferring to limit the number of compliments that she received to none. "Thank you," She murmured as she looked back at Fang, admiring her silky blue dress. The dress was outlined decoratively with an intricate design that was interwoven with a golden and black thread. It went well with Fang's complexion. "I like your dress," Lightning said quietly. Fang grinned as she closed the door the behind her.

"Shall we?" Fang smiled, gesturing to Lightning car. Fang had volunteered to drive the two. Lightning hesitated, but eventually nodded.

The quiet clatter of utensils against plates, the low roar of the chatting diners, and the soft music that the band played was the only thing that could be heard at the table that Lightning and Fang sat at. After they had arrived and had been seated, both girls had become rather silent.

Lightning glared hard into the menu, bitting the inside of her cheek. She peeked over the top of the menu that she had, admittedly, been hiding behind. Fang was doing the same, but quickly pulled the menu back up to eye level.

"This isn't awkward at all…" Fang whispered to herself.

"Did you say something?" Lightning asked, lowering her menu slightly.

"Eh, nope," Fang sighed, closing the menu.

The waiter walked up to the table, pen and pad in hand. "Are you two ready, or do you need another moment?" They both shook their head.

"We're still not ready, sorry," Fang apologized.

"That's fine, take your time," The waiter walked away for the fifth time. He was probably starting to get a little bit aggravated at them.

"This restaurant is way too fancy," Fang mumbled after a moment.

"It really is," Lightning sighed. Every single item on the menu was some complex delicacy that was far from cheap.

"Do you want to be here?"

Lightning looked up, surprised. She hesitated, but for only a second, "Yes, Fang, I want to be here with you. Just not in this fancy restaurant that neither of us belongs in."

Fang grinned at Lightning's response. "Let's go do something that we both want to do because this restaurant is a total buzzkill."

The two girls paid for their drinks and apologized to the waiter as they excused themselves from the restaurant. Reclining back on the hood of Lightning's car, Fang and Lightning contemplated a much more enjoyable way to spend the evening.

"We could hit the batting cage," Lightning mumbled after a long silence.

"In this?" Fang asked, gesturing to their clothes which definitely were not the usual get-out-and-go attire. But, Lightning nodded.

"Alright, sounds like a plan."

The batting cage was only down the boardwalk a little ways from the restaurant. As they walked, they could see the sun starting to make its descent down the horizon. The waves were extra blue tonight as they crashed into the white sand.

"Two hundred gil worth of tokens, please," Lightning said, sliding the gils chips across the counter, only to receive a strange look from the elderly man from behind the counter. He reluctantly handed them twenty tokens each and directed them out to the cage.

Fang immediately walked over to the stand with helmets and bats, grabbing one of each. Lightning did the same, carefully examining the sizes on each. When she turned around with her helmet and bat, she couldn't help but smile a little. Fang's hair had been up in a bun when she had put the helmet on so it was a little crooked, just like her grin.

"C'mere," Lightning said. Fang walked over quickly, closing the gap between them. "You're helmet is all crooked, Fang." Lightning reached up, pulling her helmet off and quickly replaced it so it wasn't lopsided. In the light of the sunset, Lightning couldn't tell if Fang was blushing or it was just the lighting.

"Well! Let's get started!" Fang said abruptly, walking back over the cage. Fang walked into the fast baseball pitch and put in a token. Lightning decided to watch her before going into her own slot. Fang readied her bat as the first ball came hurtling towards her, but there was no satisfying crunch as Fang missed the ball. "Dammit," she said, "I guess I'm a little out of practice."

The next ball came, but this time, Fang did not miss. With a resounding crack against metal, the ball sailed to the other side of the cage befogging slamming into the net. Ball after ball, Fang hit them exactly like the second. As the token's limit expired, Lightning just stood leaning against the fence in awe.

"Wow, Fang. That was amazing," Lightning said as Fang stepped back out of the cage.

"Think so? I used to play baseball in high school. It was the only thing I was halfway decent at," Fang chuckled. "Alright, your turn."

Standing in the cage, Lightning put in a token in the slow baseball. She was nowhere near as good at baseball as Fang had been. The first ball shot at her and she swung, but she only tipped the ball with her bat and it fell to the ground only a few feet away. Most of the balls she hit, but others simply were missed. Frowning, Lightning exited the cage where Fang stood clapping.

"What are you clapping for? That was terrible," Lightning said, a little disappointed in her own skills.

"You did great, Light." Fang smiled, walking into the cage that Lightning had just been in. "C'mon, I'll show you how."

Fang stood behind Lightning, her hands gently guiding Lightning's arms into place. The contact was a shock to Lightning's system, but it relaxed her, too.

"Alright, make sure to keep your arms level and the bat high. When you swing, swing all the way through and don't hesitate. Got it?" Lightning nodded as Fang put in a token for her and stood outside the fence.

This time around, Lightning's swings were more accurate and stronger, but the results were still significantly less impressive than Fang's first attempt.

"You're still doing great," Fang encouraged, going back into to the fast baseball cage for another round.

After almost an hour, the two had finally finished off all of their tokens. Arms sore, they replaced their helmets and bats, deciding to walk down to the beach as the sun set. Fang and Lightning stood in the shoreline, letting the water lap at their ankles as the sand eroded away beneath the feet. The sun was almost on the horizon now and it slow descent was coming to an end. The two hiked back up the beach a few feet, plopping down into the dry sand, reclining back as they watched the sun sink.

"I never get tired of seeing the sunrises and sunsets here in Bodhum. They're so warm and gentle here; In Eden, everything down to the sunsets is short, sweet and to the point. You can't enjoy them like you can here," Fang said, letting her head fall back into the sand. The sun hand just sunk below the horizon and now the sky was beginning to grow dark, the light of the stars beginning. "First star, make a wish," Fang side, pointing up the faint light of a single star.

Lightning closed her eyes, falling back with Fang. When she had made her wish, she opened her eyes again. Fang was looking at her.

"What did you wish for?" Fang asked.

"No, I can't tell you. Haven't you heard that if you tell someone your wish that it won't come true?"

"Hm, can't say that I have."

"Or maybe you're just saying that because you want me to tell you," Lightning said, making a sly grin at Fang.

"Oh I would never!" Fang said in a feigned taken-aback voice. She laughed.

Fang and Lightning walked up the stairs to Fang's small porch, the light of the moon the only guiding light.

"I really had a good time tonight, Fang," Lightning said, her eyes soft and smiling up at Fang.

"Yeah? Me too," Fang said. The distance between them on the small porch was miniscule.

Lightning looked up at Fang, hesitating before reaching up to the slightly taller girl and pressing her lips to the other girl's cheek. She quickly pulled away.

"Goodnight, Fang," Lightning said quietly before dashing down the stairs back to her car.

"Goodnight, Light," Fang said, mostly to herself, her face warm and a soft smile on her face.


End file.
